No Son of Mine Chapter 1
by Sheeva1331
Summary: Team 8 Song Fiction “No Son of Mine” by Genesis. Shino hates his Father's “girlfriend”, and his father is an abusive drunk. Strong Scenes of Child Abuse. Flames are accepted, and i'll do my best to ignore them. Mostly ShinoxHina
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Verse 1 and Refrain

Shino turned his music up, blaring Metallica into his head. His bugs were angry with him, partially because he had refused to sleep the night before, and he had walked out without having eaten anything. His idiot father had forced him to clean the kitchen and the dishes, cook dinner, and on top of that, clean his father's room. And if Shino refused? He'd get the beating of a lifetime.

_The key to my survival  
was never in much doubt  
the question was how I could keep sane  
trying to find a way out  
_

It had all started when his mother had been murdered a few years back. He took it hard, yes, but his father took it the worst. He would walk to the nearby bar and drink, flooding away all memory of the bright cheerful, black-haired woman he loved. He would then stumble home, puke up the contents of his stomach in the toilet, and crawl back to his bedroom.

He rubbed a spot on his shoulder from the beating that his father had given him last night, and he gritted his teeth as the empty eyes stared at him with each blow. He also saw the slut girlfriend that his father was "dating", laughing her ass off sadistically as his father continued to beat him, even kicking him between the legs. Shino lost his footing and fell, shaking himself out of the recent memory, and ending up hurting himself even more.

He made his way past the trees and to the Konoha training grounds, where his leader and teammates were waiting for him.

"Heya, bug-boy. You're late!" Kiba barked glad that it wasn't him being late this time. Shino said nothing. Hinata smiled and said a hello, stuttering. He didn't say anything back—he was lost in his thoughts. Hinata's smile faded as she stared at Shino.

"She said hello to you, Aburame!" He shouted, throwing a punch. Normally Shino would have dodged it, but Kiba's fist collided with Shino's right cheek.

_I didn't think much about it  
till it started happening all the time  
soon I was living with the fear everyday  
of what might happen at night_

Kiba stared at him as he fell to his knees, calmly standing back up.

"Sorry, Hinata. Sorry, Kiba." He muttered, turning away from them. It was then that they realized that he had a large bruise on the sides of his neck, and was hunched over slightly. They were puzzled. Kurenai broke the awkwardness by announcing that they would be training, and that they would be fighting one-on-one with her.

"Shino, why don't you go first since you were last?" She asked. He sighed, and nodded.

"Any conditions?" He asked. She nodded.

"No Jutsu. Just Taijutsu, okay?"

Shino nodded again. _This will really be a strain on my body…_

He readied himself, and nodded. She began to rush for him, holding back her fist for a chakra-filled punch. He dodged it, but barely, and threw out his foot, attempting to kick her feet out from underneath her and trip her. He failed when she caught his foot and threw him into a tree. Normally, he would have rebound, but this time, he met it—with his back. He fell to the ground, and didn't move.

"Shino!" Hinata yelled as she ran for him, helping him to get up. His body was abnormally tender, and she got a closer look at the bruises and cuts on his neck, and even a few down his shirt on his back.

"Shino? Wh-who did this… to y-you?" She asked. He remained silent.

"It's nothing, Hinata." He growled as he stood. Kiba ran up to them, and asked what was going on.

"Shino's hurt. Badly." She told him. Kurenai stared at them, her red eyes glowing with anger. _Who the hell did this to you, Shino?_

He grunted and held his side. Hinata lay him down on the grass, and activated her Byakugan, scanning his body. He had three broken ribs, a sprained wrist and ankle, and his pelvic bone had been fractured. She deactivated her Byakugan, and did a few signs to help heal the wounds on his neck. Kiba sat him up, and helped to remove his shirt, showing the multiple bruises. One of them was a sickly mix of red and blue, next to where the broken ribs were. He also had a discoloration of his skin at his waistline, and Kiba didn't want to know why.

"Good god, Shino! Who did this to you? Tell us, now!" Kurenai asked, panic in her voice. Shino opened his eyes, the pain a little too much for him to handle.

"I…don't know." He stated. Hinata and Kiba picked him up, placing him carefully in Kiba's arms, and then left immediately to the hospital. Kurenai sighed and went to report the problems to Shino's father.

Sakura looked up from her mountain of paperwork to find team 8 in front of her, Hinata and Kiba holding up a very beaten and bruised Shino. She stood quickly and led them into an emergency room, where they set him down on a table and she began to heal the minor wounds that she saw.

"What happened?" She asked.

"We don't kn-know, but… his ribs—they're broken, and… his pelvis is shattered." Hinata told her. Kiba stared at her in shock.

"His pelvic bone? Bu-but how?" Kiba asked, shocked.

"Somebody kicked him. Hard. Jesus, whoever did this wanted to either kill him, or they didn't know what they were doing… He'll have to stay in the ICU wing until he's better. It'll take a few days. And after that, no training for him for at least six weeks." She hissed. They nodded, and she ushered them out and called in another medic to take care of the rest.

"You should go home. I'll send someone to your houses when he gets better, or when he wakes, if he wants to see you. You should go and tell his dad what happened." She muttered, opening the door for them to leave. They reluctantly made their way to the Hyuuga compound, saying their goodbyes.

"I hope Shino will be alright…" Kiba whispered. Hinata smiled at Kiba's concern.

"So do I." She sighed and kissed Kiba on the cheek. He smiled for the first time in a while that evening. He gave her a hug and ruffled her hair, kissing her forehead before setting her loose.

"We'll visit Shino tomorrow, yeah?" He asked. She nodded, and walked inside, ignoring her father as she walked to her bedroom. Kiba walked straight home.

*************************************************************************************

Shino stirred, the light blinding him, and causing him to shut them again. He saw his father, and he jumped, sitting up.

"You… you-

--hello, boy." Shibi growled.

"Don't tell them what happened. Or I'll kill you." He threatened before walking away. Shino gulped and stared at his dad as he left. A picture of his mother appeared in his head, and he cringed. She had been brutally beaten, and he couldn't shake the thought of her when she would cry about her injuries. She eventually died of a blood clot that had traveled from the femoral artery in her leg to her brain, causing a stroke.

_I couldn't stand to hear the  
crying of my mother  
and I remember when_

Shino stood, and touched his neck lightly. The bruises were gone, and his ribs were no longer sore. His pelvis hurt where his body bent, but it wasn't bad. There was a knock at the door, and she stared at the door in fear. Hinata opened the door, poking her head in. She smiled when she saw that he was sitting up and looking better.

"Hi, Shino. I-I just… saw your d-dad walk b-by." She stuttered. Shino sighed.

"Oh." He hid his fear, and searched for his glasses. She handed them to him, and he put them on, blinking a few times to get rid of the awkward pain n his head.

"What happened? Who did that to you?" She inquired.

He didn't reply for a while.

"It's nothing. And besides, I don't know." He replied. He forced his body still—he was starting to shake. She noticed it too, but didn't say anything. There was another knock, and Shino looked up. Kiba walked in, and grinned.

"Good to see you're looking better, bug boy." He teased. Shino grunted.

"Typical…" He muttered. Kiba crossed his arms and leaned against the door, shutting it.

"So. You don't know who did this to you, eh? Or why?" He asked. Shino remained silent. He thought about spilling everything, but then remembered his father's warning. It terrified him, the way that his father reacted to this whole scenario.

He stood off the bed and stretched.

"I have to get home." He muttered. He had made up his decision then—he would head home, pack some clothing, and run. Maybe even to the Hyuuga Compound if he had to. Even though Hiashi was an ass, he had to have some ounce of compassion in the cruel veins of his.

_I swore that, that would be the  
last they'd see of me  
and I never went home again_

Hinata and Kiba helped him to the front desk, and when they got there, he pushed them away, claiming that he could take care of it himself.

His teammates watched as he limped down the street. Hinata ran up to him, and hugged him before he went any further.

"Don't do this! Let us help you, Shino!" She cried, perfectly and without stuttering. He sighed, and hugged her back. Kiba hugged the both of them.

"We won't let anyone hurt our bug-boy." He teased. Shino felt a small smile on his face, something that he had not done in a long time.

"Thanks…" He mumbled, slightly embarrassed. He broke away, and walked on, head held high. They smiled and watched feeling really pleased with themselves. However, as Shino turned the corner, he frowned. His stomach churned with fear, and he didn't want to face his father just yet.

He walked into his house, shutting the door quietly behind him, trying to sneak past the living room and to his own room.

"Shino!" His father called from the kitchen.

_Shit._ He cursed, and walked into the kitchen.

"You know… that was pretty clever of you, landing yourself into the hospital like that." His father growled, waving a knife around in the air. He was cooking, something that he _never_ did.

"Hello to you too." Shino growled, setting on the dishes in the sink. He pulled the stop, and began to fill the sink with dishes.

His father held the knife at his throat.

"You didn't tell them, did you?" Shibi asked. Shino muttered a "no".

"Good boy." He sneered. Shino ignored his father and continued to wash the dishes. Shibi's girlfriend walked between them and set a plate full of food in the dishwater, and Shino growled, and took the dish out and set it aside. Shibi held the knife against Shino's throat again.

"Did you just growl at her?" He asked threateningly. Shino shook his head no.

"Yes. You. Did!" He shouted, grabbing the back of Shino's head and thrusting his face down in the soapy water. He pulled his head out of the water and turned Shino to face Rukia.

"Apologize, boy!" He shouted. Reluctantly, he did. Rukia didn't buy it, and crossed her arms, turning her head to the side. Shibi pushed his head under the water again, and Shino choked on it. He caught his father's coat and tossed him around, causing him to release Shino. He threw his father into Rukia, and then rushed to his room, grabbing a few clothes and trying to run out of his window. His father caught him, and threw him back in, proceeding in beating him again.

"You idiot, boy! You hurt Rukia, and then you try to _run_?! What the hell is wrong with you? You…

Shino tuned him out, and tried to concentrate on sending chakra to his body to avoid any deep wounds. He had hoped that it would have stopped long ago, but it wasn't. His heart was dead now, and he had no will left. He gave up.

_They say that time is a Healer,_

_But now my wounds are not the same_

_I rang the bell with my heart in my mouth_

_I had to hear what he'd say…_

*************************************************************************************

Kiba, Hinata, and Shino were sitting at the training grounds, eating the packed lunch that Hinata had brought—egg and rice balls, and crab, carrot, and cucumber sushi, with a little wasabi for Kiba.

"How's your dad holding up, Shino? This would be… the anniversary, right?" Kiba asked. Shino remained silent. Kiba was referring to the anniversary of his mother's death.

"I don't know. Nor do I care." He growled. His response shocked them.

"Wh-what? Why?" Hinata stuttered. Shino sighed, and began to tell them.

_He sat me down to talk to me,_

_He looked me straight in the eyes._

_He said:_

"He got really mad at me one night when…"

_You're no son of mine_

"When…?" They pressed on. He looked around, and feeling that it was safe, went on.

"I tried to run away." He stated.

_You're no son of mine_

"You tried to run away? Why? I mean, I could see myself doing it, maybe even Hinata, but you of all people… what's been going on?" Kiba asked. Shino unzipped his jacket and took it off, and then took off his tank top that he wore. On his body were the various bruises and cuts that his father had left when he had tried to return home to get some clothing, and the ones that he had received a week ago when he had retaliated against his father. Hinata began to cry.

"He disowned me when I fought back. He's the one that landed me in the hospital. Him and that slut that he calls a girlfriend." He growled, and winced as Kiba touched his shoulder. Hinata did a few signs and sent chakra to her hands, setting them on a wound on his side, which was oozing with pus.

"Why didn't you come to one of us? We could have helped you. Do you have a place to stay?" Kiba asked. Shino shook his head.

"Everyone thinks I'm a freak. And I didn't want to drag him to you; and besides—that would be the first places he would think to look for me." He stated. Hinata nodded. Shibi had come over to her house one night to look for Shino; and she hadn't realized it then what he was up to, but now…

_Where should I go? _

_And what should I do?_

"I don't even know why I still come here." He whispered, pulling Hinata into a hug.

_I came here for help,_

_Oh, I came here for you._

There was a poof behind the three, and Hinata broke away from Shino, and Kiba turned around. It was Shibi, who was glaring at the three.

"You idiot, Shino! I told you… I warned you not to tell anyone."

Kiba and Hinata stood between Shino and Shibi, and even Akamaru came to their aide. Kiba threw a punch at Shibi, knocking him back, Akamaru bit him in the butt, making him scream. He did a Substitution Jutsu as Kiba's fist hit his stomach, appearing behind him and thrusting his fist in the back of his head, sending him flying forward. He then disappeared, and reappeared behind Shino.

Before Shino realized that his father was behind him, Hinata had already activated her Byakugan and hit Shibi with a round of the 64-palms, kicking him in the air and jumping up, doing a round of the 128-palms. Shibi hit the ground in a bloody, beaten heap. Hinata landed between Shibi and Shino, glaring at the man.

"If you _ever_ hurt any of my teammates again, or even come near us again, I'll KILL YOU!" Hinata bellowed, kicking him away. Shibi stood and ran, cradling his side in his hand and limping. She calmed down, eyed receding back to normal. She blinked a few times, and shook her head.

"Umm… did I just… say what I th-thought?" She asked. Without answering her question, Shino turned her towards him, pulled her into another hug, and kissed her.

"I love you, Hinata." He kissed her again, and she kissed him back, blushing. They broke apart, and he hugged her against his chest.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me." He said.

"What about me? Don't I get any thanks?" Kiba announced, angry.

Shino let go of Hinata, and turned to him. He then walked up to him and kissed him too. Kiba blushed, and his eyes twitched.

"N-not what… I had in mind, but… o-ok." He stated, turning away. Shino shrugged and picked up his jacket, slinging it over his shoulder with one hand and taking Hinata's hand in the other.

"I'm hungry. Who's up for dinner?" Shino asked. Kiba's eyes looked up as his stomach growled.

"Yeah. How about Ichiraku's?" Kiba suggested. They agreed on it, and left the training grounds, walking towards the middle of town.

"Are you guys hurt?" Shino asked. They shook their heads.

"Are you?" Kiba asked. Shino remained silent.

"Only a little." He muttered. Hinata stopped and crossed her arms, and so did Kiba, staring at him with disbelief. He sighed, and then reluctantly nodded.

"Yeah. Ok, it hurts a lot." He growled. Hinata asked him where it hurt, but Shino couldn't tell. It hurt all over his body, and he had a hard time trying to pinpoint the exact spots. They sat down on the stools at the counter, and ordered their food, saying nothing as they ate.

Hinata felt relieved. Things would be going somewhat back to normal, but she still wondered what would happen now that they had all kissed each other.

Kiba was focused only on his food, wharfing it down like there was no tomorrow.

Shino, however, was still concerned about his father. He couldn't care less about the man, but that hurt him, too---for some stupid reason unbeknownst to him, he wanted to help the bastard. Shino frowned and set his chopsticks in the empty bowl before him.

"Shino. You mind staying over at my house tonight? Well, since you don't have a place to stay and all…" Kiba asked. Shino nodded silently, still concerned on his father. Hinata remembered that her father had requested for her to be home at a certain time, so she said goodbye, giving both a kiss on the cheek, and tossing a tip into the jar at the edge of the counter, walking off.

Shino waited for Kiba to finish, checking the clock every now and then…


	2. Chapter 2

HEY! Sorry about the absurdly long time that it took for me to get this up, and it's still no tthe full chapter, i'm just posting it to let you know that i am still working on it. i have now started college, and i work too, so... yeah. that kinda cuts into all my time. but i'm chugging along, trying to remain focused on finishing SOMETHING that i have started.

i also started another story for a Naruto song fic... thing. just cuz. poor dumbass needs SOME attention, eh?

Anyway, hope you enjoy, sorry for the randomness.

i liked this chapter. :)

* * *

Chapter 2

Shino rolled over, smiling as the morning sun streamed in through the windows of Hinata's room. He ran his fingers along her cheek, the beautiful, soft, silky skin making him tingle to touch it. He kissed her forehead lightly, and she stirred. She gasped at first, and then relaxed as she saw him. There was a load groan, completely ruining the romantic mood between the two as Kiba rolled around in his sleep and hugged her from behind.

"Mmm…g'morning, hime…" He muttered. She giggled and sat up. Shino watched as the sheets fell down her chest, her bouncy, fully-grown breasts showing from behind.

"Morning, Kiba, Shino." She said back, stretching. Kiba tickled her sides and she giggled and blushed, squirming to get away. She threw on her clothes, and threw them theirs.

"C'mon, you guys. We get to meet our new Genin teams today!" She said, a little too cheerfully. Shino smiled, somewhat happy that he would be allowed to train some new students. The three of them had recently been promoted to Jounin, Kiba being the last one.

Shino scratched his neck as he crawled out of the warm bed, and pulled on his pants. As he bent down to pick them up, he realized that his legs were _really _sore. And to him, that was a good thing.

The three of them crept out of the Hyuuga compound, and to the academy. Their Genin were waiting for them, and they looked up as they saw their teachers. The first thing that ran through most of their heads: _They're a threesome… they look like they just got done with a fuck session…._

Hinata, Kiba, and Shino gathered their teams together and went their separate ways.

Hinata's team consisted of a very spontaneous and rambunctious little kid who couldn't sit still for five minutes, a shy little girl who reminded her of herself a few years ago, and a rather silent kid with spiky red hair.

Kiba's was quite the opposite of Hinata's as far as gender, but they were the same as far as attitude.

Shino's was the only team that was actually cool (in all of their opinions). They were very calm, collected, and had an interest in Shino's bugs. This shocked him slightly, and he was pleased.

He had no trouble in memorizing their names: Ryu, Kirin, and Jak. Simple enough. Like Kurenai before him, he tested them on their first day, and they all passed quite well. They worked together, and they were well accustomed to it. _There must have been a small graduating class… hope Sasuke isn't testing them too hard…_

He had also noticed that Ryu was slightly afraid of him, for whenever he raised his arm to scratch himself, (Kiba had the awful habit of shedding), Ryu would flinch.

He decided to walk each of them home, and figure out where they lived, in case he ever needed to call on them in an emergency. They walked Kirin home first, and then Jak second. Both lived on the opposite sides of town, so there was a long walk.

"I hope, Ryu, that you are not afraid of me. You have no reason to be. I am here to guide you, and train you." He stated, as soon as they were out of earshot. Ryu looked shocked.

"Wh-what? Af-f-raid of you, sensei? Why would I be?" He asked, beginning to shake. _Oh, Kami, he knows!_

"If you ever need any help, Ryu. You can come to me. I was there once too. Don't let it get too far. The effects are very…negative." He stated. He didn't realize it until his bugs notified him of it, but there was a familiar scent about the air. He took in a sharp breath, and tried to remain calm himself.

"There's nothing… I'm just very clumsy, that's all." Ryu lied. Shino sighed, and hurried himself.

"It's late. You should get home, and quickly. Jump on my back, I'll carry you." He offered. Ryu was hesitant, but forced himself to trust Shino.

Shino took off at a fast run, and Ryu directed him home. Shino walked to the front door with Ryu, and waited while he knocked on the door.

A young woman answered the door, and smiled at them.

"Hello, may I help you?" She asked. Shino nodded.

"I was just walking him home. He's had a rough day, but he's a strong kid. He'll be a good Shinobi someday." Shino commented, ruffling Ryu's hair.

"Oi! Aya! Who's at the door?" A man's voice called from inside. Ryu's body began to pale, and it began to release adrenaline like crazy.

"Ryu's sensei." She answered. She smiled and chuckled apologetically, and ushered Ryu inside.

"I'm sorry, we're awfully busy tonight. Please forgive my husband; he's very tired." She stated, and shut the door on him. Shino sighed, and masked his chakra, hiding in the shadows. He listened as the mother and father began to fight, and winced slightly as there was a loud smack. The woman whimpered, and began to cry, and the husband walked out of the house, grumbling to himself about "needing another drink".

Shino quickly left the house, his heart heavy.

The scenes that he had just witnessed made him think of his father.

_Well the years they passed slowly  
I thought about him everyday  
what would I do, if we passed on the street  
would I keep running away  
_

He turned the corner and bumped into a man, and knocked him down. He apologized, picking him back up. He froze as he realized that it was his father. _What luck I have, running into him now._

"Shino?" His father slurred. He was a terrible mess. His hair was tussled, and his clothing was in shambles. He looked extremely ill because his face was an unnatural pale, and his eyes were red, puffy, and his voice cracked. Shibi began to cough violently, and spat out the phlegm. There were traces of blood.

Shino, despite the fact that he hated his father, picked him up and began to take him to the hospital.

"Where the fuck 'syou takin' me?" His father asked, trying to get away.

"Hospital…_dad_." He growled. Shibi pulled at Shino's hair.

"I ain't going to 'se hossspital. I'ma nots your dad 'seither." He slurred.

"You're coughing up blood. And quit pulling at my hair, I'm trying to help your drunken, sorry ass!"

"Fffuck off! I… kicked you outs. Leave… me… alone." Shibi struggled to say before he passed out on the street. Shino sighed, picked up his drunken father, and continued to carry him to the hospital.

Shino put his dad in a chair and walked up to the front desk. Sakura was sitting behind big stack of papers, as usual, and she looked up. She had had a couple of cups of coffee to keep her going, and saw Shibi standing there.

"Here to get your meds?" She asked. Shino had no idea what she was talking about.

"What meds? My dad needs help. He's coughing up blood." Shino growled. Sakura blinked a few times, and apologized when she realized who she was talking to.

"Sorry, Shino…let's see him, then…" She stood, and walked over to the real Shibi, and examined him.

She called for a gurney, and it was wheeled to her. She lifted Shibi out of the chair and onto it, wheeling him to a room. Shino followed.

"We'll have to attach an IV of water to him to flush out the alcohol. He's been neglecting his medication… I'm sorry that I'm the one to tell you, but he's dying from Emphysema. He started smoking ever since Rukia died from alcohol poisoning and an overdose of heroin… I had almost forgotten that you left… where are you now?" She asked.

"I have my own apartment." He stated, upset about his father, but happy that Rukia was finally dead. She had turned Shibi into this drunken, drug-addicted, mess.

_In and out of hiding places  
Soon I'd have to face the facts  
We'd have to sit down and talk it over  
And that would mean going back_

He wasn't ready to talk with his father. Not in the state he was in now. Shino was tired, and he felt sick. Plus, Shibi was unconscious. No good in talking now. He figured that he should go home, rest, and then return in the morning.

"When he wakes up, keep him here until I return. I need to talk to him, and he needs to be sober when I do."

Sakura nodded and continued to administer some first aid to Shibi while Shino left, hands in his pockets, and walked home. By the time that he got there, it was 3 in the morning. Without taking any of his clothes off, he fell onto his bed and passed out.

Shino rolled over and found his clock, shutting it off. It woke him up at 6 in the morning. Groggy-eyed and aching he sat up anyway, and looked around. He wondered why he was still in his outfit, and then remembered: He had one hell of a night.

He walked down to the academy, picked up his team, and went to the grounds to train. Ryu looked in worse condition than he had when he had been returned home, and he realized that his house was no longer a safe place for him. He'd fix that later, but now he needed to focus, which was damn near impossible at the moment.

"I need to find out how well you can hide from me. I'll close my eyes, you run and hide, and I'll try and seek you out. Stifle your emotions, mask your energy, and you'll do fine. If you can control your emotions, you'll be able to fight better, and plan your attacks better. Ready? Go." He announced, shutting his eyes. He heard them all run away, the grass shuffling as their feet stepped on it.

He opened his eyes after about a minute, and searched the trees, figuring that they'd hide there. It was an easy way to ambush someone. Cautiously he walked into the dense forest, searching for their energy, or an aura that they might be giving off from their emotions. He picked up on Ryu's almost instantly—immense fear, insecurity, and frustration littered the peacefullness of the forest.

It got stronger as he seemed to walk towards the boy, and panic began to add to the mix of emotions. Shino smirked, and then ignored it, walking by. Ryu nearly fainted from the overload.

He sought out the next student, a slightly tougher challenge than Ryu, but it was still easy. Jak nearly fell out of the tree when Shino announced his name.

"Damn! You found me! How?" He asked.

"Your emotions. You must remain calm when the enemy is walking by you when you're hiding amongst them, or else they can pick you out like burnt rice in a white bowl." He announced, loudly so that he'd be sure that Ryu heard him, and then walked on, searching for the last one, Kirin.

He had to search for a long while before he found her—she had hidden herself deeply in the woods, and she was very good at masking her chakra and very good at stifling her emotions. It was almost as though she had none.

"You did well, Kirin. You would be a great kunoichi." He complimented, and then walked back to where Ryu was hiding. He had moved. Shino smirked beneath his high collar, and then started working on finding him. It was substantially harder to find him the second time, now that he was sheltering his emotions. He began to notice though, that the sense of fear and nervousness rose as he was nearing a large tree.

He walked up to it, and looked up, scanning the branches. He raised an eyebrow, slightly amused. Ryu had chosen not to hide in the branches, but somewhere else.

"I know you're here, Ryu. I can feel your fear. I must admit, you have done well, the second time you hid. I picked you out the first time around; your emotions were running haywire. Supression of your emotions helps, but when you are out of danger, it is good to let them out. If you don't, they will come out at the worst times, and things can become dangerous." He stated, trying to egg him on at letting out some more emotions. He did, and Shino was able to pinpoint him. He was hiding in the roots of the tree.

He looked down, and saw the white skin amongst the brown roots of the tree.

"I found you. You can come out now." He stated. Ryu slowly crept out of the tree, and sighed.

"Don't worry about it. You'll get better. I'll make sure of it. We have a bit of a walk until we reach the academy. I sent the others home. I wanted to talk with you." He stated.

"It's about my father, isn't it? He doesn't mean to do mean things to my mother and I, it's just the alcohol. It makes him mean. He's really not mean. He's not…" Ryu stated, defending his family. Shino nodded.

"I understand that that is how you feel, but until he quits drinking, your home is dangerous for your health, as a growing boy, and as a person in whole. To be honest with you, I was there too, and the results are… are a heavy burden. Of course, I was much older than you. You are young, and I can't possibly imagine the consequences later on in your life… I also have no choice but to report your father to the authorities. I will have to bring you with me, as proof of his actions—my word may not be enough." He stated. Ryu began to cry.

_They say that time is a healer_

_And now my wounds are not the same_

_I rang the bell with my heart in my mouth_

_I had to hear what he'd say_

"He's gonna… g-go to jail, isn't he?" Ryu asked. Shino nodded.

"Yes. It will be safer for you and for your mother… you may still be able to visit him, if you wish to do so. In the meantime, if your mother and you need a place to stay, you are always welcome to share my apartment. Don't worry—I'm a very clean person, despite all the bugs." He stated, trying to cheer Ryu up a little.

Ryu calmed down a little bit at the mention that he would still be able to see his father.

"Ok… I'll go with you… can we go get my mom first?" Ryu asked. Shino shook his head.

"We'll need to keep the element of surprise. We'll have to go to the authorities first. Besides… the bruises and injuries on you should be enough evidence." Shino stated. Ryu nodded. Shino noticed that they were still a long way from the police station, and so picked Ryu up and carried him the rest of the way, sprinting when he wanted.

As he neared the police station, he began to think of how he had "emancipated" himself, and what the last night of his life with his father was like, and it made him shiver slightly.

_He sat me down to talk to me_

_He looked me straight in the eyes_

_He said:_

_You're no son, no son of mine_

_You're no son, no son of mine_

_You walked out, you left us behind,_

_You're no son, no son of mine_

The door bell rang as Shino walked in, a hand on Ryu's head. The sheriff looked up from his desk, and studied them for a minute.

"Bitch in a buzz saw… you didn't have to scuff him up _that _badly! What'd he do?" He asked. Shino chuckled a little.

"Kakashi, it wasn't me. It was his father. I'm here to file a domestic abuse report, and hopefully we can get the bas—sorry—his father in a rehabilitation facility of some kind… be it jail or a mental ward… as far as I know, he had hurt both the son and the mother, and drinks… reminds me of my father." Shino stated. Kakashi nodded.

"Sure. We'll get this sorted. Stay here with the kid, willya? I'll get Sasuke and we'll fix it." Kakashi stated, throwing on his vest and walking into the back room. Shino made Ryu sit down, and comforted him. The kid was asleep in a few minutes, and Shino covered him with a blanket, and helped him to lie down along the chairs.

* * *

Hopefully i will be able to pick up where i left off, if i can remember where that even was...


End file.
